PREFACE. 



About twelve years have elapsed since the late Dr. Torrey prepared 

 this Report upon the Phanerogamous plants collected by the naturalists 

 of the Expedition upon the Pacific coast of this country. Circum- 

 stances beyond his control have delayed the printing of it until now. 

 The plates only have been published, a small edition having been 

 distributed among botanists, both in this country and in Europe. In 

 the delay and uncertainty of its being published, a considerable num- 

 ber of alterations — affecting only some minor points — which had been 

 decided on in the course of a revision of the manuscript by Dr. Torrey 

 and myself, have, under the circumstances, failed to be attended to 

 up to the time when, not long ago, the manuscript was called for 

 that it might be placed in the printer's hands. Before Dr. Torrey 

 could give attention to the manuscript, he was attacked by the illness 

 under which his valuable life was terminated on the 10th of March 

 last. Eoreseeing that he would probably not be able to revise this 

 Report himself, he committed the manuscript to my hands and de- 

 sired me to edit it. He instructed me to make such corrections as 

 we had long before found to be needful, and also to attend to the few 

 changes of nomenclature which have become necessary on account of 

 recent publications, whether by himself or by other botanists. 



I have revised the manuscript in accordance with these instructions 

 of my lamented friend and colleague, and also in accordance with the 

 understood wishes of the Library Committee that the Report should 

 be printed as nearly in the state the author left it as well might be. 



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